Wind power is considered one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly energy sources presently available, and wind turbines have gained increased attention in this regard. A modern wind turbine typically includes a tower, generator, gearbox, nacelle, and one or more rotor blades. The rotor blades capture kinetic energy from wind using known foil principles and transmit the kinetic energy through rotational energy to turn a shaft coupling the rotor blades to a gearbox, or if a gearbox is not used, directly to the generator. The generator then converts the mechanical energy to electrical energy that may be deployed to a utility grid.
In manufacturing rotor blades, it is generally necessary that specialized tooling and/or molds be used. For example, the blade halves of a conventional rotor blade are typically formed in large molds that are custom made for the particular size and shape of the rotor blade being produced. Accordingly, new molds must be purchased or otherwise made for each rotor blade size and shape being produced, which greatly increases the productions costs of rotor blades. In addition, conventional methods of forming the blade halves of a rotor blade typically include the use of a layup process wherein plies of reinforcing material are hand-placed into the custom made molds. This process is very laborious and greatly increases the time required to produce a rotor blade.
Application Ser. No. 12/966,219 entitled Methods of Manufacturing Rotor Blades for a Wind Turbine (filed Dec. 13, 2010 and assigned to the General Electric Company) generally discloses an improved method for manufacturing wind turbine rotor blades that reduces production costs and increases the speed at which the blades may be produced. Specifically, the application discloses that rotor blades may be manufactured by providing a blade blank composed of a filler material. The blade blank may be machined or otherwise shaped into the aerodynamic shape or profile of the rotor blade. An outer skin may then be applied to an outer perimeter of the shaped blade blank to form the exterior surface of the rotor blade and to provide a protective coating for the filler material. However, while the methods described in such application offer substantial advantages, the disclosure does not provide for significant structural components to be assembled within the rotor blade in order to provide stiffness and/or strength to the blade.
Accordingly, a method for manufacturing rotor blades that improves upon the method described above by providing a rotor blade with increased stiffness and/or strength would be welcomed in the technology.